HOLDOUT, Khartoum’s meeting for Cirilo, Malong put off

The Regional Special Envoys’ meeting with Generals Thomas Cirilo and Paul Malong scheduled for next week in Khartoum has been postponed.

The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has been engaging the armed opposition leaders who are non-signatories to the Revitalized Peace Agreement to join the peace process.

Speaking to Juba Monitor in an exclusive interview, IGAD advisor Khalif Shabell said the meeting would be rescheduled in the near future.

“The meeting has been called off but it is expected to be held before November 12th,” Shabell said.

However, Shabell did not specify on the new schedule of the meeting.

The regional special envoys were expected to deliberate on whether Gen. Cirilo and Malong would join the peace process as it was only thirty days to the formation of the Revitalized-Transitional Government of National Unity.

“Since we started engaging the two leaders into the peace process, we have not been able to continue with the engagement because Gen. Thomas Cirilo had not been present for quite a long time and Gen. Malong, you all know that he has been repeating the same statement,” Shabell said.

“We have been waiting for the government of South Sudan to provide a focal person and this is the situation so far,” he added.

Some observers said it is unlikely to include the hold-out groups into the peace process, owing to the few days remaining to the formation of new government.

On Tuesday, a civil activist in Juba raised concerns over what he described as confusions on the road to 12th November by the parties to the Revitalized-Peace Agreement.

Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) said there were several unilateral statements coming out from some party leaders.

“The South Sudan parties to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan have started the language of confusion on the road to 12th November,” he said.

The Revitalized-Transitional Government of National Unity (R-TGoNU) is expected to be formed on 12th November.

Yakani stressed that whatever the fate of November 12th may be, it should be reached through political consensus.

The activist added that the ultimate expectation of the citizens on November 12th is the formation of inclusive and diverse government.

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